Sole and heel for boots or shoes.



No. 680,868. Patented Aug. 20, moi.

' LEADBEATER.

SOLE AND HEEL FOR BOOTS OR SHOES.

Application filed Dec. 14, 180o.) y (No Model.) 2 Sheetsvsheet l.

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N0. 680,868. Patented Aug. 20, I9OI...

T. LEADBEATER.

SOLE AND HEEL FOR BOOTS OR SHOES.

(Application led Dec. 14, 1900.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets*Sheet 2.

w im' e with@ @autres artnr prima.

TOM LEADBEATER, OF LEEDS, ENGLAND.

SOLE ND HEEL FOR BOOTS OR SHOES..

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 680,868, dated August 20, 19011. Application filed December 14, 1900l Serial No. 39,895. `(ll'o model.)

To @ZZ whom zit may concern:

Be it known that I,ToMLEADBEATER,a subject of the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at 36 Victoria road, Leeds, England, have invented new and useful Improvements in or Relating to Soles and Heels for Boots or Shoes,of which the followingisaspecication.

This invention relates to improvements in the soles and heels of boots and shoes; and its object is so to construct or to form the sole and heel that they can at pleasure be readily placed upon or removed or detached from the main or through, hereinafter termed the middle, sole, to which the upper is lasted or to which the lasted upper is subsequently attached as occasion requires, thus enabling several pairs of the improved soles and heels to be placed upon or removed from or worn with the uppers of a single pair of boots or shoes, as well as to enable such soles and heels to be packed into small compass for the purposes of transit. I attain this object by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a part-sectional elevation of a boot with my invention applied; Fig. 2,a transverse section on line A B, Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a transverse section on line O D, Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a sectional elevation of the middle sole with the upper removed therefrom; Fig. 5, a plan of same; Fig. 6, a transverse section on line E F, Fig. 5; Fig. 7, a transverse section on line G H, Fig. 5; Fig. 8, a sectional elevation of the outer sole with a longitudinal retaining-piece extending the whole of its length; Fig. 9, a plan of same; Fig. 10, a transverse section on line I J, Fig. 9; Fig. 11, a sectional elevation of the heel; Fig. 12, a plan of same Fig. 13, a part sectional elevation of a boot with my invention applied, in which the longitudinal retaining-piece is dispensed with Fig. 14, a tranverse section on line K L, Fig. 13; Fig. 15, a sectional elevation of the middle sole shown at Fig. 13; Fig. 16, a plan of same; Fig. 17, a transverse section on line M N, Fig. 16; Fig. 1S, a transverse section on line O P, Fig. 16; Fig. 19, a sectional elevation of the outer sole shown at Fig. 13; Fig. 20, a plan of same; Fig. 21, a transverse section online Q R, Fig. 20; Fig. 22, a longitudinal section of the heel on line S T, Fig. 23; Fig. 23, a plan of same.

Similar characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

et is the upper of the boot or shoe, hereinafter termed andincluded in the term boot; b, the inner sole, skived on one of its surfaces from the edge inward to receive the inturned portion of the upper when lasted, as shown at Fig. 2; c, the middle sole, running, as usual, the entire length of the boot; d, the welt, which in some classes of boots is sewed or otherwise fixed to one of the surfaces of the middle sole between it and the upper; e, the outer sole, andf the heel.

All the above-described parts with the exception of the middle and outer soles and the heel are of the ordinary construction, and the upper is lasted to the inner sole in the usual manner.

The middle sole c is constructed as shown at Fig. 5, in which a portion of its front edge or perimeter is removed to form a kind of recess g, extending from a point 7i at or near the waist on one side of the boot around the toe to a point t' at or near the waist on the opposite side of the boot. The shoulders at points 7L and e' vary in depth, as shown, in order to follow the curves of the sole. A second recess j is also formed in this portion of the sole between the points h and by the ren Inoval of a portion of the newly-formed edge by cutting a rabbet, say, about one-half the thickness of the sole to form a kind of scarfjoint-that is to say, a narrow strip is cut away or otherwise removed from the sole, which strip in cross-section would be, say, a square the sides of which would each be equal to about, say, one-half of the thickness of the said sole to form the recess j, thereby permitting the edge 7i to form a ledge, and thus allowing one portion of the sole between the points h and c' to overhang the other, as shown at Figs. 4. and 6, so as to form a projecting ledge 7e for the purposes hereinafter described, or the said middle sole instead of being formed out of one piece, say, of leather, as above described, may be built up in, say, two (or more) layers or portions in a similar manner to heels of ordinary construction. A middle sole formed in two layers or portions (hereinafter termed portions and marked, respectively, c' and Z) is shown at Figs. 15 and 17. The portions c and Z are IOO made of two dierent sizes, suitably sewed, cemented, screwed, or riveted together. The upper portion c is larger than the lower portionl, so that it may overhang the latter for forming the projecting ledge 7a, While the smaller portion Z forms the recess j. The recess g is formed around the edge or perimeter of the fore part of the portion c', as above described. Although it is preferred to form the said middle sole of leather in the ordinary manner, yet I would have it understood that when preferred the portion c', forming the herein-described projecting ledge 7a, may be made of or its edge may be incased in any other suitable material, such as, say, metal or the like, while the smaller portion l is made of leather,cork, or other likefmaterial.y In one of the surfaces of the middle sole c, (shown at-Figs. l, 5, and 6,) or when the said middle sole is built up in two or vmore por tions,(sho\vn at Figs. 15, 16, and 17,) then in` the larger .portion c lis cut or otherwise:y

formed a longitudinal dovetailed recessm,

which extends toa suitable distance underI the heel-retaining block, (shown at Figs. 4;

and 5,) and it is employed for the'purposes to` be=hereinafter described. at Figs. 15 and 16, therecess m is dispensed with.

Onthesame .surface las that in which the recessm is formed, whensuch is used, is builtl and fixed, vby sewing or nailing or riveting lor cement, at a suitable distance from the'` rear of the middle-sole whatis termed a heelreceiving block, formed of, say, two layers,

or lifts n and o, placed one upon the other,

as at Figs. Ltand 15. Both-layers are of simi-- lar shape to the heel f, butof different sizes.

The layer o is the larger of the two layers, so; that its perimetermay overhang thesmaller:y

layer fn., thereby-forming the projecting ledgeI 10, and also a recess q between the under sur-j face of the layer o and surface of the middle:y sole or layer c. In the layer n at Fig. 7 is cut orformed a longitudinal dovetailed ory other recess r for receiving a lportion of -the outer sole e, to be hereinafter described. i

The detachable and removable outer sole; consists of a main portion e, shaped as shown at Figs. 9 and ZO-that is to say, it is made;v

of the same sizeand contour as and to cover: the middle sole from its toe to theheel-retaining block beforethe portion forming the re-- adapted tofit into the recess rin the layer n;

of the heel-retaining block, and with the shoulders tand u, which are made to passl under the layero (of the heel-retainingblock) into a recess, to be presently described, in the-sliding heel f. Around the front or toe portion of the outer sole corresponding to and. adapted to fit'into the recesses g and j of'theg middle .sole c is fixed, say, by sewing, nail-l ing, riveting, cementing, screwing, or `the' like to its inner surface a-flangedprojectionf consisting of a rim o made to project at orl In some cases, asi

about a right angle to the said sole to form a recess w for receiving and inclosing the overhanging and projecting ledge la ofthe middle sole. A flange or; is fixed to the upper edge of the rim fu, so as to project inwardly and to it into the rahbet or recess j when the outer sole is placed -in position upon the middle sole c. The length of the rim v is determined by the distance between the points h and 1l, while its breadth and thickness are made to correspond, respectively, with the width of the recess g and the thickness of the projecting ledge la. Further, the dist-ance that the flange projects inwardly from' the rim 'u is regulated by the width and depth of the rabbet j. By this means when the rim 'U and iiange .fr are placed in position on the middle -sole c they require to exactly `fill the recess g' and rabbetj, thereby replacing the portions of the middle sole that have been' removed at these points.

When the outer sole c is employed'for the heavy class of boots, then it vis preferred (though -not necessarily so) to fix tothesame surface of the said sole as that fto which the rim n and flange .fr are attached a longitudi- -nal dovetail projection 2,Figs. Sand 10, which is adapted to lit and slide freely in the recess fm, formed in the middle sole c. The object of this projection and recess is to insure of thick and heavy soles being retained in posi- `-tion and in contactwith the innerfsole aswell .as to relieve the iiange x andprojecting ledge kof as-much strain .as possible; but for the lighter classes of boots the .projection 2 and recess m may be dispensed with, as at Figs. 13 to 20, in which case the outer sole e and 'middle sole c are retained chiefly in yposition and in contact by the liangex andprojecting ledge k.

The detachable and removable heel is constructed in a similar manner to the outerfsole e, andit is made of the .same size and contour-as the rear-of `the middle sole and to cover the same. It consists,namely,of a main portion f, made up of one, two, or more layers or lifts, avrim y, fixed by any of the hereinbeforedescribed means to one of the surfaces of the said portion f, which receives and incloses the edge of layer o ofthe heel-retaining block, and an inwardly-projecting flange z, fixed to the said rim, andentering the recess .q in the heel-retaining block. Recesses 1 1 are also formedby cutting away a portion of the ends of liange z at the breast portion thereof for receiving the shoulders t and u of the middle sole c and aidin retaining it in position. The length of -the rim y requires to be such that it will extend all around the heel from the 4breast on one side to the breast of the other side-that is, from shoulder t to shoulder u-whileits thickness corresponds with that of the layer o and projecting ledge p. The breadth of the flange z requires to-be such that it will fill the space between the perimeter of the layer n and the outer contour of the middle sole c around'the heel-re- IOO IZO

taining block, While its thickness is regulated by that of the layer n. By this means the rim y and flange .a are made to fill up the spaces around the heel-retaining block.

3 is a screw of any suitable construction and is made to pass from the inside of the boot through the inner sole b, middle sole c, tang s of the outer sole e into the layer or layersfof the heel for retaining or locking the detachable and removable sole and heel in position on the middle sole c, as shown at Figs. l and 13.

The Welt d is sewed or otherwise attached to the middle sole c and extends around the heel between the points 7i and t'.

The said middle sole c, outer sole e, and heel f, having been constructed as herein described, are placed and fixed in position as follows: The upper a, having been lasted to the inner sole b and the middle sole c fixed thereto by any ordinary means, it is then held with its sole uppermost, as at Figs. l and 13, when the outer sole e is made to slide from the toe portion of the lasted upper to its heel upon the middle sole until its tang s and shoulders t and u have respectively passed into the recesses q and r, under layer o, and against the breast of the heel-retaining block. During the said sliding movement the flange as Will have entered the rabbet or recessj and the projecting ledge 7c have become inclosed Within the recess w of the rim o. After this has been done the heel can then be placed in position by causing it to slide from the rear of the upper to its toe, during which movement the overhanging projecting ledgepof layer 0 of the heel-retaining block Will be iliade to enter its inclosing recess formed by the rim y, and the flange z simultaneously enters into the recess q, While a portion of the shoulders t and u of the outer sole e enter the rceess l. The screw 3 is then placed in position, as previously described, and the Whole of the parts secured in position.

By means of the inclosing rims and projecting ledges and flanges being made to fit into and incase each other when in position the sole and heel of the boot present the same appearance as those of ordinary construction, and as they become worn they can be readily removed and replaced with new ones Without any danger of the boot being unduly strained by the insertion of the repairers last. The edges of the sole and heel can be pared and nished in the usual manner by ordinary means.

What l claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. ln aboot and shoe the combination of an upper lasted to the inner sole, a middle sole fixed to said inner sole, said middle sole having a portion of its fore part removed and a rabbet formed in the recessed portion of said fore part to form a projecting ledge, a central longitudinal grooved recess formed in the op posite surface of the said sole to the rabbet, and a detachable and removable outer sole adapted to slide into position on the middle sole and provided with a projecting rim` inturned flange, and a central longitudinal projection, all arranged to t into the said recesses and to inclose the projecting ledge of the said sole, substantially as set forth and as illustrated.

2. In a boot and shoe the combination of an upper lasted to the inner sole, a middle sole fixed to said inner sole, said middle sole hav; ing a portion of its fore part removed and a rabbet formed in the recessed portion of said fore part to form a projecting ledge, a de tachable and removable outer sole adapted to slide into position on the middle sole and provided with a projecting rim, inturned flange, all arranged to fit into the said ref cesses and to inclose the projecting ledge of the said sole, a heel-retaining block provided with a recess and projecting ledge as described and fixed near the rear of the said middle sole,- a detachable and removable heel adapted to slide into position on the middle sole and having a projecting rim and inturned flange adapted to fit into the said recess and to inclose the projecting ledge of said heelretaining block and the means described for retaining the detachable and removable sole and heel in position, all substantially as herein described and as illustrated.

In testimony whereof' I have signed my name to this specification in the presence 0f two subscribing Witnesses.

TOM LEADBEATER. l/Vitnesses:

WILLIAM: SADLER, ANNIE PARK. 

